


Cold Feet

by Cerfblanc



Series: The Mental Pressure of Failure [7]
Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: 1990s, 1:00am conversations, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Angst, Brotherly Love, Coming of Age, M/M, Sam steals his mom’s car, Teenage Dorks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-22
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2019-02-05 11:52:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12793977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerfblanc/pseuds/Cerfblanc
Summary: “I have school today.” Nathan murmurs against my collarbone, his breath hitting my skin, making me shiver.“Fuck school.” I respond.He agrees, “Yeah.”





	Cold Feet

_**Year 1991** _

 

 

I wake in the small hours of morning on a Tuesday, 1 A.M. to be exact, for no apparent reason. But I don’t go back to sleep. I can’t. I’m awake now. That’s not possible.

“Get up.” I say as I strip the duvet off of my little brother, trying to be quiet so I don’t wake Mom. I’m still in my PJs, but I’ve pulled on a pair of shoes and I’m wearing my denim jacket. I want to go out. I need to do something.

“Jesus Christ,” Nathan doesn’t roll over to meet me, but he moves his forearm over his eyes when I turn on the bedroom light. He mumbles something.

“Get up.” I say again, “we’re going out.”

“What fucking time is it?”

“One.”

“In the _morning_?”

“Get up.”

“Like Hell!” He hisses, “Get the fuck out of my room!”

It doesn’t take long to persuade him to come out, and half an hour later we find ourselves sitting in Mom’s car. If she knew I had taken it out for a drive without her permission she would have throttled me.

“You look like an idiot.” My brother says, nodding at my attire. I look back at him.

“I need a smoke.”

“You better do it outside.“

“Sit with me?”

We sit on the hood of the car, Nathan barefooted. His toes are pink with the cold. I feel numb. I’m fucked.

“Do you think I’ll be okay?” I ask, and I feel foolish for even thinking about it. I shouldn’t be asking my baby brother that. He should be asking _me_ that.

He blinks, and the corners of his mouth form into a soft smile that makes me warm. “Yeah.” He whispers, “You will.”

“Thanks.”

“You owe me though.” He ruins the moment shamelessly, and I laugh. He likes to play cute. And then he likes to screw it up at the very end.

I sigh, “Yeah. I do.”

He tugs my sleeve, and I look down at him and add, “You look like a dork.”

“You booted me out the door before I could even grab a jacket.”

I chuckle. “Sorry. You want mine?” I’m already taking it off before he has time to answer, and I’m wrapping him in it, his arms not even in the sleeves, and I’m pulling him so close until it feels like we’ve been merged into one. I love it. I love the feeling so much.

“I have school today.” Nathan murmurs against my collarbone, his breath hitting my skin, making me shiver.

“You do?” I ask.

He hums. “It’s a Tuesday.”

“Fuck school.” I respond.

He agrees, “Yeah.” 

I squeeze my brother tighter until he tells me it hurts, and I loosen my hold on him.

“I love you.” He says suddenly, and I feel him freeze, like he’s said the wrong thing.

“Why you say that?” I ask. I feel the palm of his hand brush against my belly.

“I don’t know.”

“You just wanted to say it?”

“Yeah. To let you know someone cares.”

“You’re the only one that does.”

“She hasn’t kicked you out yet.” He means Mom.

“Yeah, that’s because she’s started working away from home, and _I’m_ apparently an adult now.”

“You are, though.”

“It doesn’t feel like that.” I whisper back.

Nathan sighs, and slips an arm around my waist. I can feel his lips against my chest, through the thin fabric of the t-shirt I wore. “My feet are getting cold.”

“Want my shoes?”

He closes his eyes and hugs me, like he’s saying thanks but no thanks. He feels small against me. He’s so small. He needs protecting. “Your jacket is enough. For now.”

I still give him my shoes.


End file.
